SwanMillsCharmStiltskin Take a Trip to Hell (And How They Got There)
by mmthemesq
Summary: A spin on 5B when everyone has just left for the underworld, there is also back-story for all of the SwanMillsCharmStiltskin family members. Most likely canon divergent after 5A. Pairings: Regina/Emma, Snow/David, Rumple/Belle. Rating for triggering themes and gore
1. Who Can You Blame (If Not Yourself)

It takes two weeks for her to realise that something is amiss, which is two weeks far too long because the game she's playing have stakes as high as the castle walls that trap her here.

But just like that the princess gets lost among the ruffles that bend with her every whim and she's tripping over her own feet. For the first week she receives nothing but blushes in return to the curious and downright _disdainful_ looks she peruses her with _and she absolutely does not smile_.

Still, she does wonder though. _What_ has _gotten into Snow White_ this _time?_ It can't be the flu because that was only a month ago, no other illnesses are rumoured to have been spread over the land and, as much as it pains her to admit it – aside from the _ill-advised_ and occasional nocturnal absconding, _which have significantly lessened thank-you very much_ , she is nothing but presentable and graceful. A real _princess_.

"-Oomph." _Make that a_ princess _with a walking problem._

"Snow, dear?"

"…Yes, stepmother?" Snow refuses to lift her gaze from the ground which is a good thing because Regina's not sure she's learned how to stop wincing but _also this is a_ lot _more interesting than I first thought_!

"Snow dear, my voice doesn't come from below you, though it may _surprise_ you given-"

"I'm sorry stepmother." Her eyes meet hers so quickly _you'd think she'd been offended_.

"I know dear. It's just that, well, I've noticed you've been a little… out of sorts lately. Is something troubling you?"

"Stepmother why would you think such a thing?" She titters even as her large doe eyes bore into Regina's and really, she's an _appalling liar_.

It stings sometimes, how easily their hands fit together, memories pushing to the front of her mind _Daniel's hands rest gently on her arms and a scream pierces the silence this is the end, her mother has officially made her insane; the strength of the grip of the child who barely glimpsed her before throwing her life into her hands and_ why; _a_ King _on one knee and she dares to_ hope _that it_ killed _him to kneel because all he did was_ demand _; like her mother did when she saw her life turn to dust_ _in her one place of_ refuge; _like the one person she thought she could_ trust _who seemed genuinely happy_ for her _and wasn't as pathetically_ afraid _of her mother as she was_ gleefully _informed her that her life was_ worth less than a minute of silence _and now_ all she gives her is that silence _and all she wants_ is to SCREAM _because Daniel's hands were ripped from hers but yet cry is the one thing that she's forbidden from doing._

Her eyes burn and she can't seem to swallow, staring out of the window at her incredible _incredible_ apple tree – the one thing she'd been allowed to bring. Snow, despite the fact that she's stood up, rests her head against her shoulder – light puffs of warmth across her breastbone. It makes her seem even colder but neither of them let go.

The princess begins to fidget, _she can only remain uncomfortable for so long after all_. Regina presses a kiss to the top of her head and delicately extracts herself, withdrawing quickly - _lest Snow White feel guilty for_ anything. And really _why does she do this_? Sometimes she's not at all sure who she hates more.

"It's about my handmaiden." Regina sighs, _she should have seen this coming._

"Not to put too fine a point on it, but you _have_ to stop acting out because you "don't like" who helps you, at the end of the day… they're still helping you. They're making a _positive_ change in your life."

"I _know_ and I _did_ … The last three I've been sending my monthly allowance, they still have families after all."

"Snow! That money is _necessary_ for you to make good impressions-"

"-on our neighbouring monarchs, I _know_. That's why I got them something _before_ I sent the money, you should _see_ how _grateful_ they are!" Regina rubbed slow circles onto her temples as the princess' voice reached a pitch not far from squealing.

"What?"

"If you felt _that_ guilty, why did you dismiss them in the first place? They were all _excellent_ at their jobs as I recall."

"Well, that's _kind of_ what I wanted to speak with you about."

"You want to send this one home too? And what reason do you intend to fabricate for your father _this time_?"

"I don't want to send her away. I think she's really… nice."

" _Nice_? _You_ are saying that someone… besides yourself-"

"-and you, and Father, and Johanna?"

"You get my point."

"Actually I think you are exaggerating but go on." When Regina glares all Snow does is tilt her head slightly _and it's_ ridiculously _patronising._

"You think she's _nice_? Snow White has _actually_ found someone her own age to get along with? …I'm happy for you, of course."

"-Thank-you."

"What's her name?"

"… I'm not sure."

"Snow!"

"Well- I can't seem to help it! I look at her, and it might sound crazy, but I swear I forget how to speak."

 _Oh. Well,_ this _is something_ _she_ certainly _didn't see coming._

 **Note: There are four key headcanons at play in this:**

 **1\. Bisexual Snow White – she seemed comfortable enough with the idea when talking to Will Scarlet.  
2\. Regina never blamed her mother as she always saw it as her responsibility to protect Daniel. Her mother acting this way was inevitable. Essentially Regina viewed Cora as a force of nature – as certain as the sun etc. The only people she could blame were herself and Snow White.  
3\. Closeted Lesbian (for now) Emma Swan.  
4\. Pansexual Regina Mills.**


	2. Arriving at the Gates of Hell

The ripples on the lake disappeared somewhere in the smoke as the boat drew to a halt.

"That's it, we're here? We can find _Hook_?" Emma's anxious voice broke the silence as Rumplestiltskin scowled and Regina and Henry rolled their eyes. _Even Snow seems concerned now._ David drew his wife into a brief hug, enjoying the fleeting sensation of her arms across his chest keeping him grounded in this new, unfamiliar land _well, ship_.

"Indeed Miss Swan. Now who wants to be the first in exploring this new exciting realm?" Rumplestiltskin grimaced even as he spoke. _Whatever it was that he saw, it can't have been good._

 _Wait-_ "I thought you said you'd been here before."

"He _has_. He's just messing with you Charming, don't pay him any attention. Gold, stop teasing the shepherd." _I swear she loves calling me that._ Regina scowled at Rumplestiltskin who simply waved his hand in the air as if he could will all of their problems away with his _illusions and magic_.

"Well I just thought we could use a few laughs. Once we step onto _that_ shore there's few to be had."

"Live in the moment, I mean I get it but maybe some better t-"

"-DAD we can argue about this later! Right now…we- who _knows_ what's going to happen to Hook if we don't _help him_!" David watched his daughter practically bound off the ship with only the briefest of glances at Henry.

"David…?"

"Hmm?" Lowering his eyes to meet Mary Margaret's he waited until she felt comfortable to speak.

"I don't feel so good about this." The words were barely a whisper but they could have been as loud as a thunderclap.

"…Me neither."

"Mom's acting strange right?" Their heads jerked towards the grandson they had forgotten was standing right there, and his annoyed mother. _Great! "Step-mother in-law's" mad at me_ again.

"Uh- no, Henry. Why, um why would you think that?" _Snow you expect him to_ believe _that?_

"A little more _tact_ is normally required in such conversations, but I fear that your grandparents are right in this case. Emma… isn't acting quite like herself." Regina seemed to be somewhere else for a moment, _is she… remembering something?_ Before she remembered her audience.

"Right! Well, come on Henry we've got to catch up to your mother… and apparently your grandfather, when did the _imp_ leave the boat?" Both Henry and Snow gazed heavenwards momentarily. _See Regina, it's not_ just _me._ _OK I'm being petty again._

David cleared his throat looking vaguely guilty, then gestured for the other three members of his family to depart first. With a minute inclination of her head, Regina accepted the gesture and lead the depleted family of three off of the ship and down the forest path, Robin following behind.

A little further ahead, Regina saw something yellow resting at the crest of the hill.

"EMMA!"

"MOM!"

"EMMA?"

"EMMA!"

"Don't worry, Miss Swan is _fine._ " _Argh, I_ knew _we shouldn't have trusted Rumplestiltskin. He hurt_ _my baby girl._

"Rumplestiltskin! I swear to _God_ if you've _killed_ her I will skin you alive! You taught me incredibly well, don't doubt I know how to do it." _And here comes the Evil Queen_. _Fantastic._

"Mom! It's okay. Look, she's waking up." Regina's attentions snapped immediately to Henry and then slowly, almost exaggeratedly nonchalantly to the body sprawled out on the ground. Snow exchanged a look with David. _Well, that's weird…_

Emma's eyes snapped open and she sprang to her feet.

"Rumplestiltskin! What the _hell_ did you knock me out for?"

"Oh goody, I'm popular today just what I've always wanted. Now, before you go _rushing off_ as you seem prone to do… allow me to make a few suggestions."

"H-hurry up Gold, I don't have all day!" _Hold on…_ There were tears starting to form in Emma's eyes as she looked at the pawn-shop owner. Snow gently wound a hand around Emma's back temporarily letting her lean on her before pulling away as Henry leant over and placed his hand on her forearm. Emma tenderly covered it with her own.

"Now! As I was saying _before_ I was so _rudely interrupted_. I know you like to work alone Miss Swan. But you've seen how successful you are when you try that, yes?"

"…Yes."

"Right then-" Gold began to speak through gritted teeth and Emma glared at him, _she's_ _the spitting image of what she looked like when she was the Dark One_. "-If you're _determined_ to _help_ the _pirate…_ you are going to need _these people_. Make sure you can trust them, dearie. Each and every one of them is _essential_ to getting out of here safely. This place plays tricks on the mind."

"Even Henry?"

"…Especially your son. Love is a powerful motivator dearie. It can be a weapon. Or simply a source of strength."

"But I'll have Hook…" _She's_ serious _?_

"Emma, that's enough! Our son-" _…Regina's right, and I hate saying that in_ any _form. Saving her, helping her - fine. Her being right? No.  
_

"-shouldn't even be here! This is my mistake, and I'm not using him as shadow bait."

"And you think that's what I'm suggesting, _Miss Swan_. _Really_?"

"And we're _back_ to Miss Swan, hooray!" _OK, what is_ up-

"Moms!" Everyone's attention was drawn to the teenager whose eyes had suddenly turned desperate. "Just, stop _fighting_ for one minute!" He turned to Emma. "We're here to help you, Mom. And I'm not leaving, that doesn't mean that you're using me, or-" he turned back to face Regina. "-that you're going to lose me, either. I believe in you." He looked between both of them. "I believe in _us_."

"Yeah, me too Kid." Charming looked at his daughter with pride, being patient with Henry and putting him first come what may. _I wish I'd learned how to do that. Maybe then she wouldn't feel so let down._

"Us too, Henry." David let Snow melt into his side, _come hell or high water_ \- he cherished these moments.

"When did you get so smart, my little prince?" The change in Regina was amazing, there wasn't a single edge to be found anywhere, and her eyes held only love, _even when she looks at Emma_.

"When he grew up with my blood rushing through his veins, of course." Regina cast a dubious look towards Rumplestiltskin, who shrugged with a perfect expression of childlike innocence. Regina rolled her eyes and let it go.

"So, codenames? Every good operation needs a good _set_ of codenames." Everyone grinned.

"Alright, I'll be… well, I'll be Storybrooke I guess." She did _look_ like the happy go-lucky sheriff David had first befriended when he woke from his "coma". Unsure, _awesome_ bright red leather jacket, and trying to support her son in any and every way she could. _Good choice._

His eyes zipped from Emma to Regina. _That's one thing they_ definitely _have in common._

"Alright me next. I'll be… _The Thief_." Robin gave a genial smile and wink as Henry nodded his approval and Regina looked at him with fond exasperation.

"I can't be _The Author_ that's too obvious." Henry tapped his fingers nervously against his jeans.

"You can be _HQ_ Kid." Emma put a gentle arm around his shoulders.

"Yeah but, isn't _that_ kind of obvious?" _He's not giving an inch_.

"Hen, I'm calling myself _Storybrooke_!"

"Fair point, moving on… Grandpa?" David and Rumplestiltskin exchanged identically confused looks.

"Well, uh- age before beauty?"

" _Now_ I can see why your wife calls you Charming! That being said, could I perhaps be _The Landlord_?"

"Call yourself the _Loan Shark_ and we've got a deal buster." Rumplestiltskin let out a prolonged sigh.

"Miss Swan I'm talking to my _grandson…_ Well, Henry?"

"Sorry Grandpa… it is _kinda_ Mom's mission. So… Grandpa?"

"Oh…" _Why was I not thinking of my own?_

"The Princeling." _Huh? This must be a miracle because I could_ swear _that was Regina and she didn't call me a shepherd._

"Ooh, I know. How about, 'Knight-in-Training'?" _Please tell me Robin Hood isn't_ serious _. Except of course he is because he looks so_ proud _of himself. Going with Regina on this. Damn it!  
_

"I think I'm gonna stick with The Princeling. Thanks though… Robin."

"Did you just take _Regina's_ side over Robin Hood's?" _Why is Snow looking at me like I_ never _do this?_

"Well you know she took care not to step on-"

"-David I think you've said more than enough. Me next?" Regina's eyes bored into his across the small clearing as everyone else minus David nodded their agreement. _Right, we agreed not to speak of that ever again._

"OK, I will be-"

"-hope." _Snow does know she's not actually_ immune _to Regina right?_

"NO! How about, you be the Jolly Roger Regina?" _OK I know I'm slow but this makes_ no _sense._

"Emma you want me to be the name of that pirate's damned ship?"

"Well, help me _remember why_ we're doing this. And you're maybe the one person… _competent_ enough to get us home." _Regina's got that_ Henry _look_ _again. Maybe I should rename it the_ Henry and Emma _look._ "And you could figure out a way to help Hook, right?"

"Speaking of your _boyfriend_. What's _his_ codename?" _I don't blame Regina this time._ I'd _be annoyed if someone compared me to a ship too. Damn it! Note to self: stop having so many things in common with an ex-Evil Queen.  
_

"Tallahassee." Regina's face dropped.

"Darling what's wrong? Are you alright?" Robin was supporting Regina immediately. _Let her breathe. That's one thing I_ do _know._

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just worried about Hook. That's all. We can't really afford to take too much time otherwise… We promised to help you, Emma and we're not gonna let you fail." Everyone's eyes landed on Snow who appeared lost in thought.

Visibly shaken up, Emma stepped forward.

"M- _Mom_? Who do _you_ want to be?"

"… The friend you met in Phoenix." And for the first time since becoming the Dark One, David saw his daughter give her no-holds barred smile.

"Alright everyone, Hen stay close. Operation Save Hook is underway!" Snow and Regina looked at each other then gave a small shake of their heads. _What's that all about?_


	3. Situation Recap

Hook. _He's all I can think about. In the back of my mind I know this is slightly unhealthy- this_ is _unhealthy right? I mean, it's_ my _fault he's even_ here _in the first place, it's_ my _fault we're_ all _-_

"You alright sweetheart?" _Mom._

Emma tries in vain to block out the silence, to listen to the whisper-like noise the blades of grass make as they're all trampled underfoot as the _what? Heroes, idiots, crew?_ [only the middle one fits, _even_ Robin] attempt to rescue Hook.

"Ye-yeah. I'm fine, thanks. Just, trying to… stay positive, I guess." The mother-daughter duo walk in tandem, steps slow but steady – each one with a purpose.

"Hey, we'll _find_ him alright? Just, Emma you need to take care of yourself."

"I AM! In fact it seems that's all I've _been_ doing for a while now!" Snow offers a sympathetic smile and doesn't even wince when she snaps at her. One hand moves between her shoulder-blades rubbing gently.

"I tell you what, Hook or, whether he's content moved on and we can't find him – I-you _do know_ that's a possibility here, right?..." Emma gives her mother a blank stare in response. "Well, come what may, I think you and I should have a _relaxing_ day, just the two of us… which, for us – not gonna lie, is probably going to be weapon training of some sort. So, I suppose I should ask you now – guns or arrows?" The left side of Emma's mouth lifts just a fraction.

"You know Mom… yeah. That sounds great, Hook or no Hook." _But we're_ going _to find him. We_ have _to. We have to_ rescue _him from the hell_ I've _confined him to. And then, everything will be the way it was. We'll have dinner at Granny's – he got really good at remembering what I want to eat. And Regina- and_ Henry _. Although there was one time she joined us on a date, it wasn't half bad. But yeah, and Henry. Hey there's a thought – me, Regina and Henry – and Hook, of course Hook._

"Well, Madame Mayor," _–shall we pronounce a 'Free the Fairies' day?_ "-brooke 2.0." Emma whipped her head up at Gold's smug tone so quickly she was surprised she didn't get whiplash.

 _Hey, it looks just_ _like home. Except here it's, darker somehow. Crap is that the_ clock tower _?! …And apparently on fire, perfect. Oh f-_ Hook.

"And for those of us not listening, Miss Swan-"

"Hey, that's Storybrooke to you… Loan _Shark_." _And you_ are _a shark, an_ absolute _shark. Not that I'm any better. Or Hook. What? No, that was the darkness taking over him, he begged me not to let him go._

"Back with us, Miss Swan? As I was saying, well, implying for those of us who are, shall we say, slower than the rest of us-"

"Hey!" Snow grabbed her husband's hand reassuringly and Emma patted him on the back.

"… Grand _pa_?"

"Are you going to be like this the whole time, _genius_?"

"Wha- I thought David's _lack of intelligence_ was the _one_ thing we could agree on! I'm hurt, Your Majesty."

"Great, you can vent all your frustrations in your next tell-all book: The Evil Queen and Her Abuser – She's Started Defending Peasants, Where It Went Wrong.

…Look, Gold, despite what you might think I'm not angry about that – but we're here to help _Emma_ and we need to somehow _stop_ getting at each other's throats if we're going to be able to move forward and help… Hook.

You know, come to think of it, what do you get out of it?" _Abort, abort! I swear, Gold if you_ tell _them about the Da-_

"Why, the simple joy of helping another human being of course." _Seriously?!_ "… Fine, I want something to hold over his head happy?!"

"Just, lemme get this straight. _You,_ Mr I-will-finally-let-go-of-the-son-I- _literally_ -worked-for-over-300-years-to-find, want to _prolong_ the pirate's life to _hold it over his head_ that you worked harder to hold onto _him_ than your own _son_? I don't believe it, not even from you." Comprehension dawns and she whirls around to face Emma.

"Did you make a deal with him?" _Why does she look disappointed? Damn it._

" _Storybrooke_ has nothing to do with anything. I finally _said goodbye_ to my son, because he was ready to _move on_. If a soul is, _willing_ then nothing remains to tether them and they can continue onto… their _final_ destination, wherever that may be. I thought you understood because of what happened with Daniel."

"… I wasn't entirely certain it wasn't another of your mind games, or Whale's incompetence – I'm not positive they're independent of each other." Henry ducked under her arm and leaned his head into her shoulder, allowing her head to rest on his briefly. Robin embraced her more securely. _I don't like that guy. Still don't know why._

 _Enough of this, I need to get to Hook and fast, the whole thing's on fire. I can't believe I've let myself be delayed for so long. They never liked when I let that happen during one of my foster homes either –_ an _excuse_ to not carry out your chores _._

"Loan shark, if you could debrief us on the way then maybe Hoo- _Tallahassee_ won't be _ashes_ by the time we find him!"

"We, _Storybrooke_?" A dangerous glint in his eye and granite in his voice, in that moment Rumplestiltskin had never seemed more free of madness, or worthy of being called the Dark One.

"Well you're here, and you're a pawn after all, if not in my game then someone else's – your own perhaps?" Emma started walking ahead without a second thought.

The light rapping of footsteps – _very_ distinct _footsteps_ – followed closely behind her.

"I'm not in the mood right now Madame Mayor."

"-Jolly Roger." _She_ would _do_ anything _for our son-_ remembering what her mother had said to her one time – _and_ hishappiness _. I'll never get tired of being reminded how great she is with him, and how wonderful she is to him, and to me, and even my mother sometimes._

"Fine, but _when are you_ going to be in the mood? We're all here to help you."

"You really wanna help me?"

"I th- yeah. I do." _Don't look at her, don't_ look _at her._

Emma kept her eyesight constricted to her feet and the path ahead, determinedly blocking out anything, or any facial expressions, Regina might be making.

"Stay… Watch over my Mom and make sure she doesn't do anything overly stupid, please."

"I thought that was a given." Regina let out a long-suffering sigh. "Of course I will. Especially here." _Why here? It's just dead- [thesubjectswhostoodupforMomwillseehersidewithReginaandwanttohurther] oh_

"Why are we watching Grandma?"

"Damn it Kid! Don't sneak up on your parents like that, it's rude." Regina and Henry exchanged identical incredulous looks.

By now, the group had made enough of a disturbance that the rest of the travellers had caught up with them.

"I'm with Henry. Why am I being watched? I want to help you. Emma, I know that I often fall short of your expectations, and that I make the wrong choices but I _swear_ I'm here to help you. Please, let me." Emma threw her arms around Snow. _I_ love _you, so much._

"Mom, I know that you want to help me. And you're not being watched because I think you're gonna… I dunno, mess this up or whatever. I just… I need you to be here when I get back-"

"What the hell do you mean _when I get back_ , back from where? Emma, we've already followed you to the underworld. It's too late to turn back now, we're here for you." _She's still not getting it._ The Sheriff exchanged a look with Regina who turned to face Snow.

"While I agree with you, the only time we'll split up _here_ is when we finally "find Hook", Mary Margaret… Rumplestiltskin just told you that this is a place for souls with unfinished business. Judging by the current decoration I can only assume a lot of their unfinished business is with me… I _killed_ them. And I'm no-" Regina covered Henry's ears with her hands.

"…You remember what happened, with Wilma? There were a lot… _thousands_ of villages like that one, some where it got even more personal… you remember what Cruella said. But _every time_ I killed someone, it was always as an example for either 'harbouring the bandit Snow White' or 'aiding and abetting the known traitor Snow White'-"

"-Scoundrel and menace, yeah I remember what you used to call me. So what? That's gotta be… close to half a decade ago." Snow's words are blunt and sharp all at once.

"Not to these people. If they're here, they need some form of closure in order to move on. For some, hopefully I can do that. Others will come and- they'll be out for blood. They will target _every single one of you_ that willingly associates with me, you too David. But, because of the way you used to stand up to me and they helped you, kept you safe, to _them_ … you'll be the biggest traitor of all.

What I'm _trying_ to say, is – if nobody watches you, if nobody watches _out_ for you, whether our purpose is to _save Hook_ or not, you're the first person here on death row."


End file.
